European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
Perspectives in surgical and anaesthetic management of lung cancer in the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Early in 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly spread globally, giving rise to a pandemic. In this critical scenario, patients with lung cancer need to continue to receive optimal care and at the same be shielded from infection with the potentially severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Upgrades to the prevention and control of infection have become paramount in order to lower the risk of hospital contagion. ⋯ Therefore, in the current pandemic, providing a fast-track algorithm for scientifically standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment recommendations for patients with lung cancer is urgent. Suggestions for improving existing contagion control guidelines are needed, even in the case of non-symptomatic patients who possibly are responsible for virus spread. A COVID-19-specific intraoperative management strategy designed to reduce risk of infection in both health care workers and patients is also required.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
Observational StudyClinical features and outcomes of thoracic surgery patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The goal of this study was to describe the clinical features and outcomes of thoracic surgery patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 represents a tremendous limitation for thoracic surgical practice. Preoperative practices to exclude asymptomatic cases infected with the virus allowed us to perform thoracic surgical procedures.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
Safety and efficacy of tracheotomy for critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan: a case series of 14 patients.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic. Critically ill patients often require prolonged intubation for mechanical ventilation to support breathing; thus, the artificial airway must be managed by tracheotomy. Therefore, studies exploring appropriate and safe methods for tracheotomy that minimize the risks of nosocomial transmission are important. ⋯ Tracheotomy in critically ill patients with COVID-19 who meet the indications for tracheotomy potentially represents a safer approach to manage the airway and help improve the treatment outcomes. A tracheotomy performed in the late phase of the disease has a relatively low risk of infection. Adherence to key steps in the tracheotomy procedure and donning adequate personal protection will help medical staff avoid infection.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
The rapid transformation of cardiac surgery practice in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: insights and clinical strategies from a centre at the epicentre.
The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced our cardiac surgery programme and hospital to enact drastic measures that has forced us to change how we care for cardiac surgery patients, assist with COVID-19 care and enable support for the hospital in terms of physical resources, providers and resident training. ⋯ We recognize that individual programmes around the world will eventually face COVID-19 with varying levels of infection burden and different resources, and we hope this document can assist programmes to plan for the future.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Oct 2020
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on the practice of thoracic oncology surgery: a survey of members of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS).
There is widespread acknowledgement that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted surgical services. The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) sent out a survey to assess what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the practice of thoracic oncology surgery. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic has created issues for the safety of health care workers, and surgeons have been forced to change their routine practice. However, there was no consensus about surgical priorities in lung cancer patients, demonstrating the need for the production of specific guidelines.